North Carolina Car Crash Kills Prominent Newport News, VA Doctor | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A prominent Newport News, Virginia (VA), doctor and Outer Banks, North Carolina (NC), land owner lost her life in a car crash in Currituck County, NC, on June 24, 2011, according to the Virginian-Pilot. Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Forbes, age 85, was driving south, in an H1 Hummer, on Route 158 about 20 miles away from Kitty Hawk when she struck a tractor ahead of her.

Forbes’ four cocker spaniels that were in the car with her may have distracted her while she was driving. The driver of the tractor wasn’t hurt.

According to the newspaper, a family friend called Forbes “amazing” and considered her “a wonderful person who was very talented and passionate. Forbes was the first female physician to open a private OB/GYN practice in Newport News and the owner of the Women’s Complete Health Care center. She led in the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula, the Virginia Peninsula Academy of Medicine, the Newport News Chapter of the American Cancer Society and the Peninsula Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Forbes owned rental properties in the Outer Banks. One of her workers at the rental company said Forbes just retired from Women’s Complete Health on May 15, 2011.

The personal injury attorneys at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharpbelieve the vast majority of all car crashes involve some type of driver error. This means drivers can impact traffic safety by staying awake and taking advantage of rest stops. Do not do things in the car that take away focus from the road. Secure pets in the event a sudden stop or loose pet creates distraction. Drive defensively. In a moment, a car wreck can take away a life.

To learn more about what to do if you or a loved one is hurt in a car accident, check out our Frequently Asked Questions devoted to the subject.

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